Saturday, 29 April 2017

Shore Lark, Great Northern Diver and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 11am this morning. The wind of change was blowing as i arrived, a warmer southerly wind i enjoyed Gropper reeling and Whitethroat singing as i made my way down. It was busy and i sent a few tweets trying to muster some support as both Marks were not in today and Stoney was not going to be in the house, maybe Boy Wonder would come to my rescue. I hadn't expected to be working this hard lots of birds and lots of species to keep a note of. Eventually Pink Floyd arrived and made a big difference you cant be looking through your scope at distant Terns and still see Divers going past close in. The Shore Lark was a bonus bird only the second year I've seen one from a sea watch
The sea was flat and calm so it was no surprise we had a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins heading north as well as a good selection of birds
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Thursday, 27 April 2017

84 Barnacle Geese went north at Whitburn Obs this morning as the spring migration started. They warmed my cockles on another cold and damp spring morning. Conditions were calmer and the light was good but early rain kept passage down with hardly any Terns seen today
Our Yellowhammer was singing again for the first time in weeks from exactly the same spot, and i managed to get my first Whitethroat of the year. My Obs year list is on 132 which is two ahead of my end of April total in 2016....still on track
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 27th April 05.30-09.30 W2 8/8

Auk sp 1850n the majority of these were by 7am
Fulmar 137n
Goldeneye 1n with auks
Dunlin 8n
Gannet 212n 5s
Common Gull 105n 8s
Barnacle Goose 84n my first at 05.58 and last at 07.35the video is a bit rough sorry

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

Manx Shearwater Hooded Crow and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings watch. Magic Mark joined me and Stoney was in the house and yes we were all feeling blue, with the cold that is. And of course the star bird was a close Blue Fulmar
Rob rang me as he walked to the Obs to say a Blue Fulmar had just flown north behind the Obs, we dashed out but missed it but you can't be greedy Ive had a couple already. It was a County tick for Rob, still a difficult bird to catch up with not many are twitchable
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday, 24 April 2017

6 Whimbrel and 7 Wheatears dropped in during this mornings storm. The sea watch was quiet with rain keeping birds down and when it cleared through and the wind dropped and the birds stopped. The Wheatear were on the wall, fence, horse jump, and hut. Some birders (Hoggie) would like to see the hut demolished i like it for tired migrants to land on and to call out its coming over the now...
Sadly i missed an Obs mega today Pink Floyd called to say a Raven was flying over Shearwater Estate but i had already left
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Sunday, 23 April 2017

Sooty Shearwater and an Arctic Skua passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. Magic Mark was late but he didn't miss much what a difference a day makes...
The shear volume of birds yesterday was a sight to see, but today didn't disappoint it was a slow burner. A very early Sooty Shearwater was our reward, no one is better int Obs than Mark on the distant stuff, thanks marra
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday, 22 April 2017

2 Long tailed Ducks and 7 Manxies passed Whitburn Obs in 5 hours this morning. Sandwich Tern numbers have been increasing with a credible 80 odd yesterday but today we had an incredible 300 plus when i left the Obs and Magic Mark was staying......
Stevie Thunder was in for a rare visit and tried to wind me up with double calling but i was having none of it. It was canny conditions with difficult light at times. Pink Floyd picked up the Dolphins heading south and again later when they came north well done mate. Hoggie was happy to catch up with a few new year birds so all in all a cracking watch.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Friday, 21 April 2017

Black necked Grebe and a Marsh Harrier went north past Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. I was out it the toon with a few birders (i use that term loosely) last night and Stoney was in the curry house....We discussed how westerlies were good for seeing Marsh Harriers off our coast and blow me.....
The day started well with another Hooded Crow, this time flying in off. This is my 4th in about 12 month, 2 last year and so far 2 this. It didn't hang around as usual. The Black-necked Grebe was my first whilst doing an obs list but not my first from the obs. It wasn't a great sea watch as such with bright sun and a blasting westerly but birds were moving i went full flaps and held on tight for the ride.

Friday 21st April 06.50-10.30 W3 2/8

Sandwich Tern 5n 5s
Common Gull 79n 16s
Curlew 1n
Hooded Crow 1 in off 06.03 then high north over the sea 07.55 not seen between those times by me

Thursday, 20 April 2017

Long tailed Duck and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 this morning. If as they say variety is the spice of life i had a hot watch this morning. It lacked some regulars like Divers but made up for that with the mix up of birds i saw, shame about the lack of a year tick

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Merlin and 3 Ring Ouzel were among the superb birds i watched today on the Durham Moors. No Obs today it was the first of my two visits on the BTO BBS. Ive been surveying a square on the Durham Moors for a lot of years now it's always one of my favourite days of the year. It was cold 4.5 degs and a bit windy when i arrived for a first light start. I could have waited a few days but i like to keep as close to the original survey date as possible. It was obvious some birds were late in with the cold snap, Meadow Pipits were down and some of the waders such as Snipe and Curlew. Golden Plover and Lapwing were about normal.
Although my square is in a productive area i don't often get the sought after species Wheatear and Ring Ouzel but today both were present and a male Merlin shot through as well. With sightings of Common Buzzard and Red Kite it is a bumper year on my patch.
When i was done i decided to go looking for my Ringo, it had flown west out of my square and it wasn't long before i located it sitting in a bare tree by a brook. However it was not alone, not one but three were present in the same small tree. I managed some video but the light was poor and the wind up but you can see what met my eyes

In this same area i found another five Wheatear and a singing male Stonechat

A pair of Redpoll flew over calling and a bird i have not recorded up here before Robin. I staked out a small tree and both Stonechat and Ring Ouzel came into it but didn't hang about then this Willow Warbler

It's back to the Obs tomorrow morning but i can't wait for my second BBS

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Long tailed Duck and Arctic Skua went north at Whitburn Obs this morning on another busy day as the light northerly continued. A duck Gadwall flew south early on then soon after flew back north with a drake Mallard in hot pursuit toward the nature reserve field. Its what we call playing away, expect some hybrid ducklings in the near future.
The meals on wheels guys arrived and i was still in the Obs which hasn't happened often of late. Unlucky Dave walked in as the Long tailed Duck went north but couldn't get on it in time and he needs it for the year, just a touch unlucky that..
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday, 17 April 2017

2 Great Northern Divers and 2 Manxies passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. Magic Mark and Boy Wonder joined me for a reet canny sea watch in a light northerly wind. For the first time this year we saw three species of Tern as our first Arctic and Common Terns went north, welcome back!
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday, 16 April 2017

Whimbrel and Bar tailed Godwits went north at Whitburn Obs this morning. Migrants have been held up with the cold Easter weather so it was nice to see waders starting to move right on cue. Magic Mark joined me and Stoney was in the house and the Whimbrel was our bird of the morning calling as it headed north. We had a bit of a mixed bag today but not the Humpback we were hoping for
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Long tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter passed Whitburn Obs on our early morning sea watch today but the stars of the show were circa 20 Bottlenose Dolphins. It is always a real pleasure to watch Dolphins off our coast and so few people are aware of what they could see locally. I picked them up when i noticed Gull activity to the south and moved into camera mode but the full cloud cover made it hard to get the camera to focus. Still i got a bit of film as you can see
Common Scoter numbers are at last beginning to increase and it was amusing that Rob called three different flocks of ducks coming north that all had 13 in the flock, bakers dozen...
This is hat we saw in order of appearance

Monday, 10 April 2017

Hooded Crow went north passed Whitburn Obs this morning on an otherwise poor sea watch. Westerly winds and bright sun are not very inviting for sea watching so i didn't hang about this morning tho plenty of birds are on the move
On the 10th of April 2016 i called a Hooded Crow flying south it was a new Obs bird for me. When news came yesterday of another at St Mary's i jokingly asked @WhitleyBirder to send it south and thought that would be the last i heard of it. This morning things were slow so i popped out the back of the Obs to have a scan looking toward the firing range i looked through my scope and without moving it one fraction would you adam and eve it a Hooded Crow was in my scope. Now they say lightning doesn't strike twice but they are wrong, it did as it is the 10th of April 2017.
Well done Jack Bucknall you were true to your word. I don't do the lotto but as i left Whitburn i bought a Euro millions lucky dip ticket and one of my numbers is 10......
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Sunday, 9 April 2017

Iceland Gull and 26 Whooper Swans were seen from Whitburn Obs this morning. We have a new south facing bench and it didn't take long for us to abandon the Obs on a day with rubbish light and go for the outdoors. It helped us nail House Martin and Swallow plus a few Wheatear but not the hoped for Ringo today....
Some years ago Saint Mark saw a Spoonbill from the Obs and i need it for my all time Obs list. So when news came of two Spoonbills flying North from Saltholme it was game on. I waited patiently on the new bench and picked up on a large bird heading our way but it was a Grey Heron, next time..
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday, 8 April 2017

8 Velvet Scoter and 30 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings early watch. Saint Mark joined me and later Pink Floyd. Common Gull numbers have been building up all week and today it went crazy. I logged over 800 the second largest count ever. Its still well behind the record count set last year on the 17th April of 1611....hope I'm not counting the day they peak.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Thursday, 6 April 2017

2 Great Northern Divers and a Long tailed Duck passed Whitburn Obs early morning. It was a slow day and at times. If the crab sandwich boys had turned up i would have said 'go walk out the door' but it just shows you my last four species were Goosander, Swallow, Long tailed Duck and two GNDivers. Mind thats about all i saw in that last hour. The Common Gull count keeps growing
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Merlin and 13 Sandwich Terns were seen from Whitburn Obs by 9am this morning. Stoney was in the house and from the off we reckoned the conditions looked good for raptors with a brisk NW and sunshine. The light was difficult but it was a nice change when someone other than me saw Merlin from the Obs, 10 minutes later than yesterdays
Rob told me the news that Foss had a Black Kite so we abandoned the sea watch and headed to Cleadon. Sadly we didn't connect but this is what we did see in order of appearance

Tuesday, 4 April 2017

Osprey and Merlin went north at Whitburn Obs this morning. On a much better day with good light and a calm sea early on plenty of birds were moving. By the time i left the cloud had broken and the birds dried up was glad i got the best of them. The Merlin came in off from a long way out very close to me in the end i ran outside to follow it and it headed high north. The Osprey was picked up when i noticed a lot of Gull activity to the north, it was cutting in so maybe someone will get a better view than me. Sawbills were moving with Mergansers and Goosanders moving north
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Monday, 3 April 2017

Glaucous Gull and a Sandwich Tern were seen from Whitburn Obs today. I went outside to look for our regular Iceland Gull and found a Glaucous Gull....and for my next trick
Stoney was in the house and it was good to have the extra eyes but it was a different day to Sunday. Poor light and less birds did for us. Only one Sandwich Tern was a disappointment after 20 plus were logged yesterday. Common Gull numbers are on the up and of the nearly 300 seen i only noticed one adult
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday, 2 April 2017

19 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs by 10.05 this morning. We can officially say that Sarnies are back! and i will be counting them every day which is great news just another 6 species of Tern required then....
Saint Mark joined me and later Hoggie and Walter and it was another action packed day with loads of birds passing. The year ticks kept coming with a Brambling over. When i heard a warbler like contact call i asked Mark to investigate as i am sandwiched in the middle of the Obs furthest from a door, he shouted Coal Tit and i was up and out in a shot all evidence of a bad leg gone. So already the year list is on 116.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday, 1 April 2017

Long-tailed Duck and Iceland Gull were seen from Whitburn Obs this morning. It was a lovely spring morning with plenty of birds moving. My year tick for the day was a Winter visitor Redwing. Of course it's the 1st of April and we all know what that means...Yes we were taken in for a short while by a tweet from our buddy @SteelySeabirder Narwhal indeed
This is what we saw today in order of appearance